Council accused of not 'gritting enough'

Dec 22 2009 By Tara Brady

ROADS in the borough were left treacherous after the recent heavy snowfall according to residents despite the council forking out £50,000 to grit the streets.

Parts of Brent which were particularly bad were the more hilly areas such as Kingsbury.

Jay Davidson, of Bruce Road, complained to the council after she fell over this week. She said: "I am not happy at the level of gritting on the local streets and pavements. We should be making provisions for all streets to be cleared of ice.

"There is an extremely dangerous situation outside right now.

"I am really concerned for the elderly in our community like my grandmother who lives in Kingsbury. If my grandmother or anyone falls and injures themselves due to ice on pavements I am holding Brent Council responsible."

She also said roads were covered in black ice and were as dangerous as the pavements.

The leader of the Labour group, Councillor Ann John, who lives in Meadowbank Road, Kingsbury, says she nearly fell over twice on Sunday (Dec 20) while delivering Christmas cards and has received complaints from her constituents in Stonebridge.

Councillor Janice Long says her road in Willesden Green was not gritted until after the snow had fallen and neighbouring roads in that area were allegedly not gritted at all.

Councillor John said: "Everybody knew it was going to snow last week yet the council failed to grit most of the roads across the borough. As a result many older people and others with mobility problems will suffer falls or be forced to stay indoors. In addition, road surfaces are so slippery that road accidents are inevitable."

But a council spokesman said six vehicles have been out gritting around the clock since Wednesday (Dec 16) last week and that the borough's street sweepers were also helping.

He said: “The council's contractors have done a good job of keeping priority areas as free from ice and snow as reasonably possible.

“The council concentrates on priority roads like main arterial routes, bus routes, and hilly areas and we also grit pavements in shopping areas, outside schools, and tube stations. We try to do other residential roads and pavements where we can.

“Brent Council doesn't have the resources to grit every road and pavement in the borough.

“We have 300 boxes around the borough holding salt, and local people can help themselves and treat any of the other pavements or roads. Boxes are currently being refilled.”

For more information about which roads are gritted in the borough visit www.brent.gov.uk/